Important offseason MLS dates

Sure, the offseason calendar isn’t a sexy or exciting topic, but for a team in need of a coach and some rebuild it is, nonetheless, important.

I went looking for the MLS calendar a couple of weeks ago and couldn’t find it, but now MLS has finally put it up on their website, so let’s dig in.

Offseason Calendar 2021-2022

Along the way, clubs or the league are required to publicize all the moves.

Date	Event	Notes
Nov 24	Bonafide offers due	Everyone eliminated by this point must submit all their legit offers to players. A date about negotiating contracts and keeping players. Any team eliminated after this must submit their offers within one day of elimination.
Nov 30	Option deadline	Everyone eliminated by this point must submit all their option decisions. Any team eliminated after this must submit their offers within one day of elimination.
Dec 11	MLS Cup	The big game.
Dec 12	Half-Day Trade Window	9 am to 1 pm. End of season roster freeze is lifted. Then at 1 pm the league goes into a blackout and no player moves of any kind are allowed.
Dec 13	Release of player lists	MLS publicizes the Free Agent, Waivers, and Re-Entry lists.
Dec 14	MLS Expansion Draft	For Charlotte FC.
Dec 15	Waiver Draft & Free Agency	Both at 1 pm. Usually, just one or two players get taken in the Waiver Draft.
Dec 17	Re-Entry Process, Stage 1	It’s basically a draft and a way for MLS to control /limit player movement. After this passes, negotiations and free-agent signings continue. Players selected who are out of contract must receive a Bonafide offer and a player with an option has it automatically exercised.
Dec 23	Re-Entry Process, Stage 2	Same thing but different. If a player is selected, the drafting club will be required to make a genuine offer to the player within seven days.
Jan-April?	MLS Primary Transfer Window	In 2021, the MLS transfer window was March to June, but that was with an April season. So expect it to be earlier in 2022.
Jan 26?	MLS Camps Open?	This date was 4 weeks before the season last year, but it was an odd year due to the pandemic. Could be as early as Janu 15th if they go 6 weeks.
Feb 26	MLS 2022 Starts	Opening Kick.